Blackout
by pwoperbellamy
Summary: Muse and friends head over to Las Vegas on a spontaneous weekend trip where shenangians ensue
1. Sweet Freedom

Thursday Afternoon

I groaned and pushed the photographs away from me. I had been staring at the same set of prints for ten minutes and I still hadn't chosen the one I wanted. I glanced at the digital clock on my desk and groaned again. _It's only 2:30!_ Today was definitely a slow day. The entire week was slow and I was ahead of schedule. I looked at the photographs again and chose the one I had picked up the most. I walked down the hallway to my boss's office.

"Here's that cover shot you wanted Steve", I said, placing a picture of Panic! at the Disco on his desk. Steve, a middle-aged man with shoulder-length hair and a wardrobe of neon clothing, observed the picture with a smile.

"Excellent choice Isabelle", he said with a smile. "Did I ever tell you that your one of the best photographers in _Strobe_ Magazine's history?" I laughed and rolled my eyes. "Only every day", I giggled.

Even though I started working for _Strobe_ as an intern only a year ago, I quickly made my name and talents known and I eventually earned the position as head photographer for the alternative rock magazine. This job definitely has its perks. What kind of job allows you to hang out and take pictures of your favorite bands? I've made plenty of famous friends during my time here. There's something about photo shoots that makes the atmosphere really relaxed and fun. Or maybe it's just the free alcohol.

Steve observed my face. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern. "It normally doesn't take you a long time to choose prints. You have some sort of natural instinct to choose the best photo."

I shrugged tiredly. "Sorry, it's been a long week." Steve sat back in his chair and twirled his ponytail. Uh oh. Whenever he does this, that means Steve is thinking of something crazy.

"Take the rest of the week off", he suddenly said. My eyes popped open. Was I hearing him correctly? "Wait, are you serious?"

Steve nodded. "Why not? You've been doing such a great job and you're ahead of everyone else, including me! You deserve this." I stared at Steve, flabbergasted.

"But what about the photo shoot with Brandon Flowers tomorrow?" I asked. Steve smiled. "Just received a phone call from his manager. He has a stomach virus and the shoot has been rescheduled to Monday." That's too bad. I'll be sure to talk to Brandon tonight.

Steve gave me a stern look and pointed to the door. "Don't let me see you around here until Monday morning!" he ordered. "Sir, yes sir!" I said, marching out of the office. Heading back to my studio, I felt a strange sense of freedom and excitement.

"Bye guys!" I announced to my coworkers. "I'm going home for the weekend!" A few of my fellow photographers cheered me on.

"You go girl!" Daniel, the magazine's music critic, hooted. Once I reached my desk, I put the remaining prints away and grabbed my camera. I take my camera wherever I go. You never know when a good shot will come up.

As I made my way out of the door, Daniel shouted, "Do something wild and crazy!"

Oh, I will!


	2. Inspiration

I jumped into my Jeep and stared at the steering wheel. _What am I going to do this weekend?_ My original plans were to prepare for the photo shoots coming up next week, but since those plans were shot down, I had nothing. I knew Steve would ask me what I did during my mini-vacation and I knew he would not be impressed if I said I relaxed by the pool the entire time. By the time I reached my house fifteen minutes later, I still had no idea what I was going to do. Once I walked through the door, I kicked off my Converse and walked towards the kitchen.

"I need some brain food", I said to myself as I rummaged through the pantry, pulling out a bag of jumbo marshmallows. I walked out to my backyard pool and flopped on one of the lawn chairs. I struggled to open the bag, trying to rip it open with my teeth.

"Shit", I muttered when the bag burst open and marshmallows went flying into the pool. I picked up the soggy pieces and tossed them over the fence. The neighbor's bulldog should be happy. I tried to think of something to do while I ate, but all I could think about was today's photo shoot with Panic!

"Those two are such flirts!" I giggled to myself, remembering how Brendon tried to lure me into his dressing room or when Spencer made obscene poses during the shoot. The Vegas bands are always the craziest.

A voice rang out in my head. _Do something wild and crazy!_

"Vegas!" I shouted, spilling more marshmallows as I ran inside to get my phone. I quickly dialed Lucinda's number. Lucinda is a friend of mine who is also a model for Fueled by Ramen and Decaydance Clothing. We met when I was invited to Pete Wentz's CD launch party when I first moved to L.A. and we've been close since.

"How's it going Isabelle?" she asked happily. "Let's go to Vegas!" I announced. There was a slight pause. "When do you plan on taking this trip?"

"How about tonight? We can stay for the entire weekend! What do you say?"

"I say it's about time you got away from work! I have an idea! Why don't we invite more people and rent a party bus for the weekend?"

"I like the way you think! Matt, Dom, and Tom are in L.A. for the summer so I'm pretty sure they'll be up for it!"

Lucinda giggled. "Are you and Dommie-wommie finally going to get together this weekend?" she asked slyly.

"Oh, shut up!" I laughed. Dominic Howard, drummer for the English band Muse, is one of my best friends. We met a few years ago in San Francisco when I was a photographer's assistant and we've kept in touch. He likes to come to L.A. when he's not touring or in the studio so we can hang out. His band mates and my friends always tease that we will end up dating, but we know it's a joke. I'm simply not Dom's type. He's a rock star who dates beautiful models while I'm a photographer that barely wears makeup.

"Say what you want", Lucinda continued, "But something interesting is going to happen between you two this weekend, I can feel it!"

"Okay Ms. Psychic!" I say, "Invite two or three more people and I will go over to the Muse mansion to talk to the guys."

"Isabelle and Dominic in a hotel room!" Lucinda sang, "F-U-C-"

"Goodbye Lucinda!" I said loudly before hanging up.

A five minute drive and I pulled up in front of the Muse mansion; Matt, Dom, and Tom's 'party palace' for the summer (Chris is in England caring for his wife and a million children). It's the end of June, but they've already thrown some amazing parties. I still have the sombrero from last weekend's Mexican bash. I walked through the front door without knocking. They're the type of guys who don't care who comes in at any time.

"Anybody home?" I called out as I make my way to the staircase. I hear loud music coming from the basement. I head downstairs and I recognize the music as 'Citizen Erased', one of Muse's best songs. I enter the guys' 'jamming room' and see Dom banging away on the drums, Matt jumping around with his guitar, and Tom attempting to play the bass.

"Nice job!" I said when they finish, "Now if only you played that song live more often!"

"Hello to you too!" Matt said, placing his guitar on the rack. He went over to give me a hug, but Dom reached me first.

"You know I always get first dibs on hugging Isabelle!" Dom said to Matt. Matt pulled us apart and gave me a hug. For such a small guy, he's pretty strong. "You never said how long the hugs last!" Matt said, sticking his tongue out at Dom.

I looked over at Tom. "Help me please?" I pleaded. Tom grinned. "Okay guys", Tom said, clapping his hands, "No need to smother the poor girl!" Matt lets me go and I face the three guys.

"How would you like to go to Vegas, tonight?" I asked.

Three pairs of eyes widen at the same time. "Tonight?" Dom asked. I nodded excitedly. "Me and Lucinda are getting a party bus and we'll be there the entire weekend."

"Wait", Tom said, "Do you mean Lucinda, the model." I rolled my eyes and nodded. Tom has always had a thing for Lucinda, although she barely talks to him.

"You can count me in!" Tom said. I look at Matt and Dom. "How about it?"

Dom hugged me again. "You know I can never say no to you!" he said happily. "I never turn down a chance to play poker", Matt replied.

"Perfect!" I said. "Come by my house around six and the bus will pick us up there! Oh, and Matt?"

"Yes?"

"Please leave the flashing glasses here, okay? Las Vegas has enough lights!"


	3. Road Trip

Thursday Evening

I looked through my bags one last time to make sure I have everything I need. Everything seems to be in there: clothes, shoes, toiletries. I check my purse for money, wallet, cameras (my slim digital and the one I use for more artistic photos), and a bottle of whiskey. I walked over to the mirror and give my reflection a look-over. Right after we drop off our bags we will be heading straight to the clubs and casinos so I decided to put on my Vegas-wear here. I had on a very attractive red and black strapless dress with black stilettos. I kept on readjusting my outfit to make sure nothing was showing. I sighed and gave up. I had to choose the skankiest outfit in my closet! At least my face looks pretty. Lucinda kindly came over early to do my hair and makeup, managing to turn my messy bun into a lovely, curly hairdo and giving me smoky eyes and kissable lips.

"There!" she said triumphantly when she finished. "That should get you a couple of free drinks tonight!"

I grabbed my things and walked outside, where everyone was waiting. Lucinda invited two more models, Melrose and Aurora, and a shoe designer named Paul. Dom grinned at me when I stepped outside.

"You look great Isabelle", he said, not bothering to hide the fact that he was staring. I winked at him. "You look good too. Yellow skinny jeans", I commented, "A classic!" Dom smirked. "That's how I roll."

A few minutes later, the bus pulled up in front of my house. The driver, a man in his sixties, stepped out and greeted us. "My name is Edgar", he said, tipping his hat at us, "You all can enter the bus while I put these bags in the storage compartment. Should only take a minute."

Smiling, we walked around the bus and began to enter. I could hear a Lady Gaga remix blasting inside. Once I entered, my jaw dropped. This was not what I expected. The floor was covered in plush carpet and the seats ran along the windows, leaving a large area for dancing. The windows were tinted and the ceiling was covered with every type of light imaginable. There was a control panel next to the door with multiple buttons on it. In the back was a bar and next to it was -.

"A stripper pole!" I laughed. Tom spun around the pole a few times. "I bet Dom has some moves he wants to show off!" he laughed. Dom rolled his eyes. "Keep dreaming Tom!"

Like Edgar promised, he quickly packed the bags and we were off to Las Vegas. Tom began mixing drinks while the rest of us danced for a few songs. My feet began killing me, so I decided to take a break, sitting down. Paul sat down next to me, eying my feet.

"You could be a model for my spring collection", Paul said, his words slightly slurred. "You have beautiful feet!" Paul and I continued talking and drinking. For someone who was already drunk thirty minutes into the bus ride, Paul is a nice guy, telling me funny stories from photo shoots and fashion shows he's been to.

"When the model turned around", he whispered, "The strap broke and she fell right on her face, on _live television_!" We burst into laughter. "What did you do?" I asked, wiping tears from my eyes. "Well Macy, the model, hobbled off the runway with one shoe on and I ran backstage to console her. The rest of the show went perfectly and everyone liked my collection, so it wasn't that bad."

"Except for the face-plant on live TV!" I pulled out the bottle of whiskey from my bag. "Here, why don't you have some of this while I go to the bathroom for a minute?" Paul eagerly took the bottle. "Stay beautiful, my darling!" he shouted as he fell over on the couch.

I moved to the other side of the bus, where Dom was taking a break from dancing. "I thought you would never escape from Paul", he joked.

"Say what you will, Paul has great stories!" We looked over and saw Paul and Melrose laughing loudly about something. I heard Melrose squeal, "Live TV!"

"Ouch! Replaced already!" Dom said, wrapping an arm around me. "It would have never worked between us anyways", I replied in a mock hurt tone. I smiled as Lucinda pulled Tom out from behind the bar and began dancing with him. Tom looked like he just won the lottery. Matt was dancing surprisingly well for a drunk British man. He kept on shooting me looks and mouthing 'I want you now' to me. Dom chuckled. "Might as well dance with him before he goes mad", Dom said, pushing me up. I giggled and walked up to Matt, who looked very drunk.

"I've been waiting for you!" he said, placing his hands on my waist and dancing with me. Dom and Aurora were laughing at the sight of us. 'Undisclosed Desires' came on the speakers. "Oh, I LOVE this song!" Matt said, moving closer to me. I laughed and danced with Matt, trying not to burst out in giggles every time he did a funny move.

"Why don't we get a drink?" I asked, bringing Matt to the bar. Matt did a weird roll across the counter and fell on the other side. Matt popped up and said, "I'm Matt the bartender. What will you be having?"

"I'll just have a bottle of Coke", I said, pointing to the box of sodas behind him.

"You're boring!" he muttered, handing me my drink and pouring him a shot of a clear liquid. He swallowed the drink and immediately spat it out.

"Yuck!" he said, "That was disgusting!" I picked up the glass and drank the remaining liquid. "You just drank water", I said.

"Water? I've never had that liquor."

During the rest of the night, I continued dancing. Dom eventually joined in again and even Paul managed to bust out a few dance moves. Soon, we could see the Vegas lights in the distance. We cheered as we pulled up in front of Lotus Towers, one of the newer hotels on the Strip. We walked up to the receptionist's desk in the lobby.

"We have a reservation under 'Lucinda Kane'", Lucinda said.

"Ah, yes. The penthouse, correct?" Lucinda smiled. "That's right." We all received room keys. "The bellhop will bring up your bags shortly", the receptionist said. "Welcome to Las Vegas!"

We thanked the woman and entered an elevator. "How did you manage to get the penthouse in such short notice?" I asked, remembering how I had to reserve a basic suite here months before my trip.

"The owner of the hotel has a daughter who is crazy about Paramore", Lucinda answered, "I offered the father VIP tickets to their upcoming Vegas gig and an entire day with the band in exchange for him telling the customers who booked the place for this weekend that the penthouse in undergoing construction. Throw in some Fueled by Ramen merch and a 'date' with Pete Wentz, and I got the place, and all services offered by the hotel, free of charge."

"That is truly amazing!" I said, hugging her. "Yeah, I just hope Hayley and Pete don't mind. I haven't told them about the plan yet."

"Tell them when we get back to L.A. because it's time to have some fun!" The elevator stopped on our floor and we walked into an elegant hallway leading to two large, wooden doors. Carved above the doors are the words 'Lotus Flower'.

"Hmm, I wonder if Thom Yorke is going to be inside dancing for us?" I asked. Only Matt, Dom, and Tom laughed at the joke. Everyone else looked at me confused. "Come on. You guys don't listen to Radiohead?" Blank stares.

"Whatever", I muttered, throwing open the doors. There was a collection of gasps behind me. The penthouse was simply beautiful. It was decorated in Japanese décor and very elegant furniture. The living room had very comfortable-looking couches and Asian art hanging on the walls. I walked up the stairs to the second floor and into one of the bedrooms. The far wall is a giant window facing busy Las Vegas. I didn't need to turn on a light due to the street lights brightening up the room. There is a very large and lavish bed in the center of the room. I decided to lie down and close my eyes for a few seconds.

"Don't fall asleep so soon!" I heard a voice say. I sat upright on the bed and saw Dom smiling at me from the doorway. "Paul just passed out in his room and you're not getting out of partying tonight."

"Relax, I'm all up for partying!" I said, jumping off the bed. Dom offered his arm and I took it, both of us walking back to the living room.

The next few hours flew by. I don't remember how many clubs and casinos we visited by the end of the night. For a group consisting of models and musicians, we were hardly noticed. I made this point to Matt.

"The trick is not to draw so much attention to yourself", Matt said as we watched Snoop Dogg become surrounded by scantily-clad fans. "Unless we go around saying, 'Hey everyone! I'm famous!', people tend to leave us alone. If we really wanted the attention, we could get it like that." He snapped his fingers.

We stumbled back into the penthouse around 5:30 AM. I sleepily kicked off my heels and began walking up to my room when Tom shouted, "There's a pool in here!" I turned in the direction of his voice and was surprised to see that there was an Olympic-sized pool on a deck right outside the living room.

"How come we didn't notice this when we first got here?" I asked, walking outside to look around. There was also a Jacuzzi and a bar on the pool deck. I dipped a toe in the water. It was very warm. Shrugging, I walked around to the diving board and climbed up. Just as I was about to dive in, Lucinda shouted, "You still have your dress on!"

"I could care less about my dress!" I said, diving in. When I resurfaced, Lucinda is laughing. "You must be really drunk to be swimming around at 5 in the morning!"

"I swear to drunk I'm not God!" I said, attempting to splash her. Lucinda squealed and moved out of the way. The rest of the group came out and laughed at the sight of me.

"I like where this is going!" Dom said, stripping off his shirt and jeans before jumping in. Matt and Melrose jump in shortly after. We began a giant splash fight, soaking each other and laughing for a few minutes. Aurora fell asleep on one of the pool chairs. Tom and Lucinda headed off to bed.

"Let's play Chicken Fight!" Matt suggested. I climbed unto Dom's shoulders while Melrose got on Matt. "Let's get ready to rumble!" Dom shouted as me and Melrose attempted to push each other into the water. After a really hard shove, I almost toppled backwards but Dom kept a firm grip on my legs. "Don't worry", Dom said, "You won't fall as long as I've got you."

After a few more minutes of struggling, Melrose fell into the water. Dom and I cheered and I fell backwards into the pool. "Okay", I announced, "Matt get on Dom while I carry Melrose." Dom looked at Matt. "What? No!" he said, "I don't want Matt's junk pressed up against my neck!"

"Quit being a wimp and crouch down so I can sit on you!" Matt said. Dom scowled at me as Matt sat on his shoulders. I smiled back and lifted Melrose up. "Round Two!" I said, bringing Melrose up to Matt. I almost lose my grip when the fighters first make contact.

"Don't let me go!" Melrose squealed as she tickled Matt. "That's cheating!" Dom said as he moved a giggling Matt away from Melrose. The guys move closer to us and me and Dom are practically nose-to-nose with each other.

"Ready to give up yet?" Dom asked, smirking as I stumbled a little. "Never!" I replied. Suddenly, I'm pushed into Dom and we all go under the water.

"What the hell was that?" Dom asked as we all resurfaced. "Matt cheated!" Melrose said, splashing Matt. "Right before he fell, he decided to grab my arm and take me down with him."

"There are no rules against that", Matt replied, splashing Melrose back. I laughed and climbed out of the pool. "I'm going to bed", I yawned. "Night Isabelle!", they said.

I grab a towel from the bar and dry myself as I walk up to my room. I quickly changed into my pajamas and collapsed on my bed, falling asleep as I hit my pillow.


	4. Volcano Troubles

Friday Afternoon

I groggily woke up around two in the afternoon. Twenty-four hours ago I was sitting in my studio in L.A. Now I'm in a penthouse in Las Vegas. Funny how plans change quickly. I sat up and quickly regretted it. My head was pounding. I groaned and headed to the bathroom. A cool shower always soothes my hangovers and I feel much better when I'm finished. I changed into shorts and a T-shirt and headed to the living room. Aurora and Melrose were chatting on the couch while Paul was sulking on a recliner.

"How come you guys didn't wake me up when you were about to leave?" Paul grumbled as I stretched out on another sofa. "Sorry", I said, "We didn't think you would last much longer if we woke you up. Try not to drink so much next time." Paul rolled his eyes and turned on the Style Network.

Dom emerged from the kitchen, carrying two cups. "I thought I heard you talking", he said, sitting down next to me, "So I made you a vanilla bean Frappuccino." He hands me a cup topped with whipped cream! "Yummers!" I said, taking a sip. Dom makes better drinks than Starbucks. "How hung over do you feel?"

Dom sipped his drink while he thought. "Not too bad actually", he said. He glances at my cup. I followed his gaze and smiled. "Would you like some?" I asked. Dom nodded and we traded drinks. Even if Dom and I order the same exact thing, we always trade food and try out what the other person got. It's a funny tradition we share.

I sipped Dom's drink. "Banana protein shake?" I asked. Dom nodded proudly. "Do you taste the chocolate powder in there too?" he asked. I taste again. "Yeah! Wow, that's really good!" Dom beamed and we traded drinks again.

"Thanks! Is it going to be your new favorite drink?"

"Nah, vanilla bean will always hold a special place in my heart."

Matt emerged from his room, hair messy and still wearing the boxers he jumped into the pool with. "I need a banana", he muttered as he disappeared into the kitchen. A few seconds later, he came out with a smile on his face as he unpeeled the fruit. He plopped down next to Dom.

"You still smell like chlorine", Dom grumbled, moving closer to Matt. Matt could care less. He watched TV as he ate his banana.

Several minutes later, Tom and Lucinda come out of Lucinda's room, holding hands. We all stare at them in awe. They come down the stairs together, Lucinda giggling at our dumbfounded expressions. She sat down on a chair while Tom leaned against the entrance to the pool. "No need to stare", he said, walking outside. Dom and I stared at each other, open-mouthed.

"Go!" I ordered. The guys ran outside to Tom while us girls surrounded Lucinda. "Spill!" we said. "You guys are acting like teenagers!" Lucinda laughed. She sat back and smiled. "He was a real gentleman", she sighed. "We didn't do anything except a bit of kissing before going to sleep. We cuddled the entire night!"

"Aww!" we said in unison. "He also asked me to go sight-seeing with him today." We go 'aww' again. "Did you say yes?" I asked. Lucinda rolled her eyes and bopped me on the head. "Of course I said 'yes' silly! We'll be out for the rest of the afternoon, but we'll join you guys for the rest of the night."

"Wait are you waiting for?" Aurora asked. "Go get ready for Kirky!" Lucinda smiled and sprinted back up to her room. "Well ladies", I said, standing up. "I don't know about you guys but I'm itching to spend some of my winnings!"

We all rush into our rooms to change. I decided to dress in shorts with a yellow top and wedge heels. I completed the look with sunglasses and a cute hate. Paul whistled when I stepped out fo my room.

"Like what you see?" I asked, twirling around for him. "I sure do!" a voice answered to my left. I turned to see Dom coming out of his room, dressed in light blue swimming trunks. "Staying poolside today?" I asked. Dom nodded, putting on matching shades. "We're going to relax, have some drinks, and go bird-watching." Paul looked at us confused. "Why would we go bird-watching?" he asked. "That's really boring." Dom and I giggle. "'Bird' is a British slang term for a 'woman'", I chuckle.

Matt comes out of his room wearing painfully bright pink trunks. "My eyes!" I said, covering my face. "I will never see again!" Dom and Paul laughed. "Very funny", Matt said, smoothing out his shorts. "People tell me they like the way that I dress." I wanted to say something, but stopped myself. Matt can be touchy when someone makes fun of his clothes.

Melrose and Aurora were ready to go so the six of us left the penthouse and headed down to the lobby. At the entrance, the guys went to the pool while we walked across the street to the huge shopping center. We happily spent a few hours (and a few hundred dollars) shopping for new clothes. Melrose and Aurora spent most of their time in boutiques selling party dresses while I stuck to buying outrageous skinny jeans in every color of the rainbow. Once we couldn't possibly carry another bag, we went back to the hotel, dropped off our purchases, and ordered some room service. We treated ourselves to shrimp scampi and this amazing chocolate cheesecake. We laughed as we tried to steal shrimp from each other's plates.

After dinner, Tom and Lucinda returned, looking very happy. "Hey ladies!" Tom called out to us. "Have a nice day?" We all nodded and grinned at the sight of them together. They looked so cute! Tom grabbed the shopping bags that Lucinda was carrying. "I'll take these up to your room", he said, kissing her on the cheek. Lucinda giggled like a little girl and waved to Tom. Once he was out of earshot, we tackled Lucinda.

"How was it?" I asked. "It was amazing!" Lucinda said. "We went to all of the famous sights and buildings. We took a ton of pictures together and we did some shopping afterwards. Best date ever!" Lucinda collapsed on the couch. "I'm so glad the two of you are together and happy!" I said, squeezing her hand. "Now we just need you and Dom to get together and this weekend will be perfect!" Melrose said. "Come on guys", I said as the front doors opened, "You know that will never happen!"

"What will never happen?" Dom asked as he entered the room with Matt and Paul. Lucinda and the girls burst into laughter. I shot them a _Please Shut Up!_ glare and they quieted down. "Nothing important", I answered. "How was your afternoon?"

Paul happily pulled out pieces of paper from his pocket. "Seven phone numbers!" he declared, walking to his room. "I love bird-watching!" Matt began laughing when Paul shut the door. "He calls that an accomplishment?" he asked, taking out even more paper from his pockets. "Tell me when he gets thirty numbers like I did!"

Friday Night

An hour later, all of us entered a nightclub down the block from the hotel. It's only seven and the place is already packed. Lucinda pulled Tom to the middle of the dance floor. The rest of us found tables in a quieter section. Paul saw one of his former shoe models and he walked over to meet her. Matt pointed out a group of cute brunettes to Dom and they went over to talk to them.

"We need to snag some guys tonight!" Aurora shouts over the pumping music. I scan the crowd and spot a cute guy with tousled blond hair watching me with interest. "Watch and learn ladies", I said, making my way towards him. The guy smiled when he realized I noticed him.

"Hello", I said, batting my eyes. "Hello there", he said with an Australian accent. A foreign cutie? Even better! "My name is Isabelle", I said, moving closer. "Isabelle", he sighed, "Such a beautiful name!"

"Thanks, and yours?"

"You may call me Christian", he said, taking my hand and kissing it softly. I couldn't help but giggle. "Can I buy you a drink?" Christian asked hopefully. "I suppose I can give you that honor", I answered. Christian smirked and led me to the bar. "Beautiful and witty!" he remarked, getting the bartender's attention. He ordered two drinks and while the bartender prepared them, we had a quick chat.

"What brings you to Las Vegas?" Christian asked.

"My boss gave me the weekend off so I decided to have some fun!"

Christian smiled. "What's more fun than Vegas?"

"Exactly. So, why are you here?"

"I'm here for my brother's wedding this weekend. I decided to arrive a day early to have some fun on my own." Christian hungrily eyed my dress. "I'm glad I did."

The bartender handed us our drinks. "To fun times!" Christian says, clinking his glass on mine. I drink a little and almost gag. The drink was way too strong and tasted horrible. Christian seemed to like it since he swallowed most of his.

"Do you want to get out of here?" Christian asked, placing a hand on my leg. Before I could respond, Dom came out of nowhere and sat on the bar between us. "Sorry mate", Dom said, glaring at Christian, "She's with me!" Christian glared back at Dom, downed the rest of his drink, and stumbled away. Dom slid into the empty seat with a satisfied smile on his face.

"What the hell are you doing?" I hissed, barely believing what had just happened. Dom looked at me. "What?" he asked. "I was only trying to protect you!"

"I am twenty-five years old. I can take care of myself, thank you very much!" Dom snorted. "Yeah, you were doing a good job of that just now. I bet you would have left with him."

I felt my face flush. "Why do you care? Are you jealous?" Dom became silent, expression changing from cocky to sensitive. "Maybe", he muttered. Whoa, I wasn't expecting this. Dom has never shown any type of interest in me before. Sure, he gives me compliments, but that's all for fun. Everyone says we should get together, but they know that I'm simply not Dom's type. We're just close friends.

Dom jumped off the stool and walked away. "Dom, wait!" I cried out, running over to him. Dom looked embarrassed. "Hey", I said softly, "I'm sorry I snapped at you. In fact, I should be thanking you. That Aussie was giving me the creeps! Plus he had a bad taste in drinks!" Dom smiled a little. "Come on", I said as I pulled him back to the bar. "Let's get a few drinks and have some fun together okay?"

Dom's face brightened. "Okay!" he replied. We scanned over the drinks menu. "Why don't we try the Volcano?" I suggested.

"You get red and I get blue so we can trade?" Dom asked.

"You read my mind!" We order our drinks and watch the bartender pour glowing liquid into our glasses. "Enjoy!" he said, handing us our Volcanoes.

"Oh my God!" I said. "They glow!"

"That's impressive!" Dom said. He lifted up his glass. "To best friends!" I clink my glass on his.

"Cheers!"


	5. Blackout

Saturday Afternoon

Sunlight peeked through my bedroom curtain and hits my face. I groaned and slowly opened my eyes. The clock said 12:30 PM. I tried to remember what happened last night, but I can only recall bit and pieces. I remember a poker table, a stinging pain in my right ankle, the smell of hair dye, and an organ playing. I suddenly realized that I wasn't wearing anything and that someone else was in bed with me. I tried to move around to see who my bed mate was when an all too familiar voice sleepily whispered in my ear, "So blonde!"

I froze up. _Dom?_ I turned my head and I'm face-to-face with the slumbering drummer. He giggled in his sleep and wrapped his arms around me. Shaking, I brushed some of the hair from his face and almost shrieked at the sight of a HUGE diamond ring on my left hand.

"What have I done?" I whimpered. Dom's eyes fluttered open. "Good mor…". He stopped, peering into my face. "Isabelle?" I nodded. He quickly sat up in bed. "Oh my God!"

"What's going on?" Matt said from the other side of Dom, rubbing his eyes. Dom and I yelled and jumped out of bed. I covered myself with the curtains while Dom wrapped a towel around his waist. Matt realized where he was and sat there in shock. Someone started moving underneath the blanket next to Matt. Lucinda sat up in bed, hair and makeup messed up. Oh come on! How many people could fit in this bed?

"What's with all of the shouting?" she mumbled. She shrieked at the sight of us and stared horrified at Matt. "Tom!" she whispered before bursting into tears and running out of the room, taking the blanket with her. Matt jumped in surprise and covered himself with the pillows.

"Tom is going to kill me!" Matt groaned. Dom and I glanced at each other. "Why are you blonde?" Dom asked. Confused, I peer into a mirror hanging on the wall opposite me. My normal dark brown hair was now bleached blonde, except for one electric blue strand of hair on my face. I was also wearing a white, poofy veil.

"Dom", I said slowly, not wanting to freak him out, "We got married last night." I showed him my ring. Dom gasped and looked at his hands. He was wearing a gold band on his ring finger that was not there last night. He looked like he was about to faint so I pulled the curtain from the rack, wrapped it around me like a towel, and guided Dom to the bed.

"It's okay", I said, rubbing his shoulders. "Just breathe. We're going to fix this." Dom looked at me sadly. "I'm really sorry Isabelle", he said. "You know this is not like me right? I've never had a blackout before."

I nodded and hugged him. "Relax, I don't go around getting married every time I get drunk." Dom chuckled a little. Matt slid off the bed and pulled on his clothes that were lying crumpled next to the bed. "Isabelle. What is that on your ankle?"

I look down to where Matt is pointing. On my ankle is the name 'Dominic' tattooed in flowy handwriting. I show Dom and we burst into laughter. "That explains the pain I remembered!" I giggled.

"What other shenanigans did we get into?" Matt giggled. We looked around the room to see if we could find any clues. There were clothes and candy wrappers everywhere. There was also a large wedding cake sitting on the dresser with icing smeared all over the walls. A few bottles of wine lay opened on the nightstands. Next to the door were five briefcases. Matt walked over and opened one.

"Jesus, did we rob a bank?" he gasped, turning the case around. It was filled with money. "The case has your name on it", Dom said, pointing out the label on the side. "This one does too", Matt said, getting excited. He looked at the others. "These two are for Isabelle and this one is for Dom." He handed us our cases. "We must have won big last night!"

I opened my cases and was pleased to see it filled with money. I play poker well when I'm drunk! Dom looked very shocked. "What is this?" he demanded. Matt and I looked inside his case and doubled over laughing. It was filled with candy, lots and lots of candy!

"Looks like you won the candy lotto!" I giggled, taking out a chocolate bar. Dom looked disappointed. "I can't believe this!"

I saw my digital camera on the ground. "I bet the camera will show us what happened last night", I said, turning it on. Matt and Dom moved closer to see. The pictures started out with the last thing we did before the wedding, which was go to a bakery to buy the cake.

"It looks like we decorated the walls with the cake rather than eat it", Matt commented. Next were photos from the tattoo parlor, a few photos of me and Dom holding hands while I got my tattoo. There were also a few pictures of me with Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day.

"I met Billie Joe and I don't even remember it?" I asked sadly. Afterwards was the hair parlor where I dyed my hair. The next set of photos was from the casino, with me and Matt playing poker together and doing really well. There was also a priceless picture of Dom happily holding up his briefcase of sweets.

"Ah, here is where the trouble began", Matt said when I got to the pictures from the nightclub. We observed a picture with me sitting on top of Dom's lap trading our Volcanos….with our mouths. There were several glasses with glowing liquid inside them next to us.

"Damn those Volcanos", I muttered. Dom sighed next to me. "I didn't plan on things going so far last night."

"Tell me about it!" I spotted a DVD case on the ground with the title 'Dominic and Isabelle Howard'. I nervously placed the DVD inside the player, turned on the TV, and pressed 'Play'. The movie began with a shot of a chapel. Matt was attempting to play 'Megalomania' on an old organ, but he gave up and stood next to Dom at the front of the aisle. Paul, Tom, Melrose, and Aurora were the only people sitting in the pews. Lucinda and an elderly woman stood next to Matt and Dom. A man began to play 'The Wedding March' on the organ and the camera turned to the back of the room, where I entered. I looked excited as I made my way down the aisle, practically jumping on Dom. We began kissing furiously until the old woman chuckled and pulled us apart.

"You will have plenty of time for that later", she said softly. "Welcome to the Lotus Chapel!" she said, opening her arms wide. There was cheering from the pews. Dom and I drunkenly exchanged vows and rings and then we were declared husband and wife.

The video skipped to the wedding reception. Dom and I fed each other pieces of cake while Matt attempted to give a 'Best Man Speech', his arm around Lucinda's waist. "Dom is my b-best mate", he slurred. "He has been with MANY women, but you're the first to make him this happy Isabelle! Here's to a happy, Zeta-free marriage!"

Dom nodded and added, "I've always been in love with you Isabelle. Until tonight, I've been too afraid to express how I felt about you, like a stupid chicken."

"Aw, Dom!" I said. "You're my stupid chicken! We should have gotten together a long time ago!" Dom smiled and kissed my nose.

The movie skipped again to me and Dom slow-dancing to 'Unintended'. We continued to kiss and giggle 'I love you' to each other. Matt and Lucinda were crying and holding each other. "They're so beautiful!" Lucinda wailed. I had to admit, even though we were completely drunk, we still looked like a happily married couple. "That right there is the meaning of true love!" Matt sniffled.

"Are you ready for the greatest night of your life?" Dom asked, picking me up. I squealed and wrapped my arms around him. "We can use my fancy camera!" I yelled as Dom ran out of the room, still carrying me. Matt and Lucinda ran after us. The last shot was of Tom, Melrose, and Aurora singing 'Plug in Baby' loudly while carrying the cake out of the room. Paul was nowhere to be found.

I shut off the TV and the three of us stared at my large camera, hanging from a lampshade. "Do I even want to know?" I asked nervously. "Might as well get it done and over with", Dom said, picking it up and turning it on.

We looked at the first image. "Is that supposed to be a leg?" Matt asked, tilting the screen in confusion. We went through the rest of the images, but they were just as confusing. An elbow, Matt's eyes, shoelaces, blonde hair. I breathed a sigh of relief. "Nothing bad", I said, going to the last photo. My mouth dropped and the camera fell from my hands.

Matt picked it up. "Oh boy", he said weakly. The picture was pretty dark but you could tell that I was kissing Matt while Dom was undressing Lucinda.

"Not even an hour into the marriage and we already cheated on each other", Dom commented. "Now I have to worry about Tom killing me." Matt let out a nervous giggle. "I know we share things as band mates but I don't think this is what we had in mind."

The bedroom door opened and Lucinda walked in, eyes red and puffy from crying. "Lucinda", I said, walking over to her and giving her a hug. Lucinda sniffled and put her head on my shoulder. "I can't believe I've done something so stupid!" she said, "Just when Tom and I were about to start a great relationship, I go and sleep with one of his best friends!"

"Actually…" Dom started to say before I glared at him to shut up. Lucinda looked at us both. "What?" I grimaced and gave her the camera. The color drained from her face. "I need to tell Tom", she said, walking out of the room. The three of us followed after her.

Tom was in the living room dressed in only his boxers and rubbing his eyes. He looked worried when he saw Lucinda walking up to him. "I have something to tell you", they both said, standing in front of each other.

"You go first", Tom offered. Lucinda hesitated. "I-I slept with Matt and Dom last night!" she said quickly. Tom looked shocked. Matt and Dom braced themselves for the upcoming outrage, but it never happened.

"I slept with Melrose and Aurora last night", Tom muttered. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn't in some crazy dream, but this was reality. We all slept with each other! Lucinda and Tom stared at each other in silence, and then they began to chuckle. Soon, they were laughing loudly and hugging each other.

"I'm really sorry!" Lucinda giggled. "I was drunk and I never meant to do it." Tom kissed her. "Imagine my surprise when I woke up and found them in my bed!" he said. "I ran out of there as fast as I could!" The two burst into laughter again. The rest of us joined with them.

"We were worried you were going to kill us!" Matt said. Tom shook his head. "I know you guys didn't mean anything by it. You're my closest friends and would never do something like that to me on purpose."

"Aw, group hug!" Dom said. We all hugged the happy couple. "Are you wearing a ring?" Tom asked me. Me and Dom stepped away from the group. "We got married last night", I said.

Tom whistled. "About time you settled down Dom!" he laughed. We both blushed. "We're going to fix this", I said. I turned to Dom. "Let's change and find that old woman so we figure out what to do." Dom nodded and we returned to our rooms to change.

Dom and I walked off the elevator into the lobby. I found a sign pointing to the chapel at the end of a long hallway. The place was empty except for the woman from last night, who was talking on a cell phone. She saw us and quickly ended her call.

"The happy couple!" she said excitedly. She pulled out some things from her large bag and handed them to us. "I was on my way to 'Reception' to have these dropped off at your room, but you just saved me the trip!" In my hands were a wedding album and a marriage certificate.

"Here's the thing", I said gently, "Dom and I are just friends. We got really drunk last night and things got out of hand." The woman looked broken-hearted. "But you two look so good together! Don't you agree?" Dom and I looked at each other, not answering.

"I'm afraid I can't help you", the woman sighed. "I create marriages, not end them. You will need to talk to a lawyer."

"Thanks anyways", Dom said. We both turned to walk out the door. Before we left, the woman called out, "Do you really want to do this?"

I looked at Dom and was surprised to see him look so uncertain.

"Yeah, we need to", I answered.


	6. The Perfect Match

Dom and I headed back up to the penthouse and I pulled out a phonebook from the coffee table. We began working through the long list of divorce lawyers in the Las Vegas area, with no luck. Apparently since we live in California, we have to see a California-based lawyer to annul our marriage. "I don't want to leave so soon", I said sadly, sitting back on the couch.

Dom thought for a minute. "We don't need to leave for L.A. today", he said. "Just because we're married doesn't mean we have to act like it." I looked at Dom, unsure about his plan. "Are you okay with that?" I asked. Dom shrugged and put his arm around me.

"Why wouldn't I be, Mrs. Howard?" he chuckled. I smiled and pushed him away. "Are you going to be calling me that all weekend?" I asked. Dom moved closer. "I kind of like the sound of it. Isabelle. Howard." I had to admit, I liked the way it sounded too. I stared into Dom's eyes, eyes that I have always seen before, but never realized how nice they were. We moved our faces closer-

"Guys? Paul is missing!" Dom and I jumped apart. Lucinda and Tom were standing in the entrance to the kitchen. "His bed hasn't been slept in since yesterday morning. The maid fixed it. Where could he be?"

Tom's bedroom door opened and Melrose and Aurora came out, looking nervous. "Lucinda! We.." Lucinda held up her hand.

"You slept with Tom. I know, it's okay." The girls looked unsure as they went to their rooms. Lucinda turned back to us. "Well?"

I sighed and took out my cell phone, calling Paul. After a few rings, there was an answer. "I'm bird-watching!" Paul said excitedly, and then hung up. I smiled. "Paul's okay", I said. "He's at the pool trying to pick up women." Lucinda looked relieved and her and Tom left.

"After all of the craziness from earlier today, I just want to relax", I said. "Want to come to the pool with me?" Dom shook his head. "I need to get some things and it might take the entire afternoon", he explained. "I'll see you later tonight."

By the time I changed into a swimsuit, everyone else had left the penthouse. I went down to the pool and looked around for Paul. I laughed when I saw him sleeping on one of the pool chairs. Matt was sitting next to him, taking a picture of Paul with his iPhone.

"I'm going to send this picture to all of the women he got numbers from yesterday", Matt cackled, saving the photo. "You're cruel!" I said, lounging on a chair. While Paul slept, Matt and I blissfully swam and tanned in the sun for the rest of the afternoon.

Once it began to get dark, we woke up Paul and left the pool. When we were about to go on the elevator, Matt's phone rang and he answered it. "You're finished?" he asked. He smiled wide. "Perfect, we're leaving now." He hung up and faced me. "I need to go somewhere with Paul. You go upstairs and I'll meet you later." He grabbed Paul by the arm and walked away, Paul asking "Where are we going?" That was odd.

I entered the elevator alone and went to the penthouse. The place was empty, although I could hear noises coming from the kitchen. I went inside to investigate and found Dom pouring popcorn into a large bowl. He turned around and smiled.

"How was your swimming?" Dom asked, offering me the bowl. I grabbed a handful. "It was fine", I answered. "Me and Matt had a nice time, although it would have been more fun if you were there." Dom chuckled. "Why don't I make it up to you, right now?" He walked out of the kitchen. Amused, I followed him.

Dom turned on a light in the living room. The coffee table was piled high with DVDs and movie treats. There were even more giant bowls of popcorn prepared. Dom's briefcase of candy was sitting on the sofa. "I declare tonight 'Movie Night'!" Dom said, sitting on the sofa and opening a soda can. He patted the space next to him. "Can't start without you."

I smiled and sat next to Dom, helping myself to more popcorn. "Was this what you spent all afternoon getting?" Dom nodded. "We never spent any time with just the two of us. We're usually with the band or your friends. I figured we can take a break from the Strip tonight and hang out, unless you wanted to go out."

"Are you kidding? Who needs nightclubs?" I looked through the stack of DVDs. "What shall we watch first? A comedy or a horror film? Or…" I picked up a DVD. "This?" Dom opened his eyes in horror. "No!" he said. "You know how I get when I see 'Marley and Me'!" I giggled and put the DVD away, settling on 'Spiderman'. "As much as I'd love to see you blubber like a baby every time you see that movie, we'll just watch this."

We got comfortable and began the film, passing each other snacks and drinks. During the middle of the movie, Dom wrapped his arm around me. I moved closer and rested my head on his shoulder. "You're still wearing your ring", Dom commented. I looked at the shimmering jewelry. "It's very beautiful", I said. "I don't want to take it off." Dom smiled. "You'll let everyone think you're married?" I shrugged. "Maybe it'll help me out in the dating field. Married women can be more desirable than the single ones." Dom laughed a little, then grew silent.

"Do you regret it?" he asked a little later on. "Hmm?" I asked. I was focused on the movie. "Do you regret getting together last night?" I looked at Dom. He had a soft expression on his face, waiting for my answer. I thought about all that had happened last night, and the entire weekend. Dom was behaving differently than usual. The flirting, the jealousy, this 'Movie Night'. This was all new. Yes, getting married was a mistake but that didn't mean we couldn't be together. But then, there was the fear that if Dom and I ever began dating and then broke up, our friendship would be ruined. Was I willing to take that chance with Dom?

As I was thinking about this, Dom leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips. "I don't regret a single second", he whispered, pulling me closer. We both continued kissing, spilling all of our snacks on the ground as we moved around. I struggled to realize what was going on. Part of me wanted to be with Dom. The other part was too afraid to move forward in fear of hurting both of us.

"Wait", I gasped as Dom kissed my neck. "We can take things slow if you want", Dom said, gently stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"No", I said, pushing him away. "I don't think this can work." Dom looked hurt. "But why?" he asked. "I thought we would be great together. I really care about you Isabelle." Tears formed in my eyes.

"It's just not worth it!" I cried, running to my room. I shut the door behind me and slid to the ground, letting the tears fall. Dom knocked on my door. "Isabelle", he pleaded. "Please, I want to be with you, so bad! I'm sorry that I never showed much interest in you before. I just can't stop thinking about you now! Please, please open the door."

I almost opened the door then, but my fear overcame me and I stayed still. Dom was all I could think about, the only person I wanted to be with. The thing was, we would never last. I'd rather spend the rest of my life being friends with Dom than risk such a great friendship by dating him.

"Dom", I sighed. "You know it would never last between us. We are going to go back to L.A., sign the divorce papers, and continue being friends like before." There was no answer. I stood up and opened the door. "Dom?" Dom was gone. Lying on the ground was his wedding ring.

Sunday Morning

For once I actually woke up before noon, even though I barely slept last night. I quietly fixed myself some breakfast and sat in the living room. While I ate, someone coughed behind me. I turned around and who else would it be but Dom. He looked like he didn't get much sleep last night either.

"I talked with a friend of mine last night", Dom said quietly. "He's a divorce lawyer and he said he will meet us tomorrow afternoon to sign the papers."

"Cool" was all I could manage to say. Dom sighed and walked back to his room. "Wait..." I called out to him, but he already closed the door.

Two hours later, everyone was awake and packing their bags. "What an insane weekend!" Tom said, looking at Lucinda lovingly.

"Tell me when you're planning another weekend trip!" laughed Paul. I just smiled and gathered my things. Later, we were piling unto the party bus. "Have a nice time?" Edgar asked us. "We sure did!" Matt said. He gave me and Dom a concerned look. The entire drive back to L.A. I just sat on a seat, looking outside. Dom did the same thing on the opposite side of the bus. After a while, Lucinda sat down next to me.

"Don't be such a party pooper!" she said, tugging on my arm. "This is your last chance to have some fun before the work week. Enjoy yourself!" I shook my head. "I'm all partied out", I sighed. Lucinda stared at me. "You have the perfect guy for you sitting fifteen feet to your left and you're not even taking the chance to make something happen between the two of you." She stood up and walked away.

Sunday Afternoon/Evening

We returned to L.A. in the late afternoon. After saying goodbye, everyone got into their cars and left. Lucinda left with Tom and the guys to the Muse mansion. While unpacking, I found the wedding album. I sat on my bed and began looking through it. Whoever took these pictures did a wonderful job. No one looks drunk or ready to pass out. We looked like we had a wonderful time. I stopped at a page that had a picture of me and Dom slow-dancing. The looks on our faces seemed so real, like we were actually in love with each other. My heart ached at not remembering that night at all. I sighed and closed the book, placing it on my nightstand.

Monday Morning/Afternoon

"Can someone please readjust the raven on Brandon's shoulder?" I ordered. One of the interns walked up to Brandon and fixed the fake bird. "That's good thanks", I said. I shot a few more photos. "Now give me a really serious look, like you're in deep thought."

Brandon chuckled. "How can I be in deep thought when I have this thing on my shoulder?" He wiggled the bird around, a few feathers falling down. We laughed. "It goes with the theme so deal with it", I teased. I checked my camera. "I think we have enough."

"Thank goodness!" Brandon said, taking the raven off and tossing it to me. I caught it and placed it on the props table. "How's that food poisoning?" I asked, walking to the microwave and taking out a plastic container. "It was pretty brutal", Brandon answered. "I could barely get out of bed or eat anything besides bread and apple juice."

"Here", I said, handing him the container. "This is home-made chicken soup. It's my grandmother's recipe and it's guaranteed to cure all stomach problems." Brandon smiled and opened the container, taking a sip of the broth. "Delicious!"

After Brandon left, I stopped by Steve's office. I hadn't seen him since he sent me home on Thursday. "What happened to you?" he exclaimed, looking at my hair. I had forgotten about my dye job. "Just a little mishap", I explained. "I think I might keep it."

"Okay then", Steve said. "I'm a little busy but why don't we have lunch later and you can tell me all about your mini vacation?"

"Sorry Steve, I can't. I have to meet with a divorce lawyer during my lunch break." I left before I was forced to explain.

I met with Dom and the lawyer at a café across the street from the _Strobe_ building. They were chatting when I got to them. "You must be Isabelle", the lawyer said, shaking my hand as I sat down. "Dom just finished explaining the entire situation to me, and it can be easily fixed. Since the both of you were intoxicated, the marriage can be annulled and it will simply disappear, like you were never married." He placed the forms in front of me. "Just sign on these lines here and you will be single again."

I looked up at Dom, but his face was expressionless. I quickly signed the papers and he did the same thing. "I will go over to my office now and fax these to the State", the lawyer said. "Have a nice day." The man left and it was just me and Dom, sitting in awkward silence.

"Hey", I said. Dom looked up and gave me a small smile. "Hey", he said in return. I squirmed a little in my seat. How was I supposed to do this? I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry about Saturday night", I said. Dom looked sad as he remembered back to that night. "I'd love to be with you, I want nothing more than that. I'm just scared. I'm scared that if anything happened, if we broke up or whatever, our friendship would be lost." Dom gently took one of my hands.

"I'm scared about that too", he confessed. "The last thing I want is for us to not be friends anymore." He paused for a second. "Matt and Chris, they're my brothers. You are my best friend and I love you for that. Lately, I've realized that I want to take our relationship to the next level. It's a huge step and it's very risky, but I think we can do it. No matter what happens Isabelle, you will always be my best friend." He leaned forward and kissed me. This time I didn't stop him. We both stood up, still in each other's arms.

Dom broke apart from me. "So what do you say?" he asked hopefully. "I thought the kiss was an appropriate answer!" I laughed. Dom joined in and hugged me tight. "You make me so happy Isabelle", he whispered into my hair. "You're amazing Dom!" I replied. I looked at my watch. "I still have an hour until I need to be back at work." Dom thought for a second.

"Want to come back to my place?" he offered. "I can make you a vanilla bean Frappuccino and some food." I considered his offer. "Is anyone else home?" Dom shook his head. "Matt went out to buy some gear while Tom and Lucinda are at the beach, why?" I smirked and kissed his nose.

"Because I'm in the mood for something else."


End file.
